Heiress of Lies (20 page)

     “For the same reason your black knight searches in the Master’s books,” Caspian said.

     Angeline saw Connor look up in alarm. Although she was sure he had been listening the whole time, the turn of conversation got his attention. There was something she was missing. And then it came to her. Of course, it was so simple.

     She looked at Connor. “You are looking for a cure to the blood thirst,” she said.

     Connor said nothing. He looked angry. “I’m not sure what any of these things have to do with helping the princess become a passable human,” he said to Caspian.

     Angeline was confused. She didn’t understand why Connor didn’t want her to know about his research. She could tell that he carried a heavy burden and that he didn’t want to be what he was; his desire made sense.

     “Everything about vampires, humans, and wraiths is relevant,” Caspian said. He looked at Angeline. “There are many among us who feel that not only is the search for a cure an impossible task, but also an unwelcome one, including our hallowed Master.”

     Angeline was starting to understand. If Connor’s vampire father was Chief Deputy to the Master, and Connor took an unpopular stance on the idea of searching for a cure, that would make him an even further outcast than he probably was before. Connor wouldn’t want that rumor to be circulated.

     “It is rather interesting that the Princess of Altera ended up here to begin with, isn’t it?” Caspian continued. “I seem to recall hearing a rumor that the Master was trying to get an audience with her actually. Something about a ‘game’ that the winner, basically whoever brought her to him, would get whatever wish that they desired?”

     Connor shot up and had the front of Caspian’s cloak in his hands in seconds. “What do you know about anything?” he hissed.

     “I know that for as much as you despise what you are, you were willing to put those lofty morals aside in exchange for a chance to pursue your own interests. For as much as you may consider me a hypocrite, Connor, you are even more one times ten,” Caspian said calmly.

     Angeline’s mind was spinning. Connor had been bringing her to the Master as part of a game? He had told her it was a personal errand on the part of the Master, but suddenly the flight from the Solera Valley made a lot more sense. The puzzle pieces were falling into place. Connor had not been the only one seeking her. He had just gotten to her first.

     “Why was the Master requesting an audience with me?” she asked. Her heart was racing.

     “I don’t know that, Princess. Obviously my time as the Master’s confidant ended years ago. But the rumors and intrigue of the coven still reach these old ears,” Caspian said. He jerked away from Connor and walked to the fireplace in the corner, staring into its depths.

     Angeline felt a gnawing in her stomach. She stood and made her way to Connor. She waited until the silence become uncomfortable, and he finally met her eyes. His emerald eyes were weary, but he didn’t look away. “You told me that I had no reason to fear this meeting. You told me that afterwards I’d be able to go home. Was that just a story or was that the truth?”

     She gave him credit that he didn’t flinch. “I don’t know,” he finally said.

     “So you lied to me,” she said. She knew that this should make her angry, but instead she felt hollow. Of course she couldn’t trust him. Her father had been right to keep her hidden away. At the first sign of a crisis, she had given over all of her faith and hope to someone undeserving of it.

     “I told you what I felt was necessary to get you to cooperate,” he said. “It would have been bad for both of us if I would have had to drag you kicking and screaming into a room of vampires who haven’t set eyes on a human in over a century.”

     “You lie!” Caspian said, spinning around. “She was not going to be taken to the Grand Counsel!”

     Connor didn’t turn from Angeline’s gaze. “I do not lie. Whatever the Master’s intentions, they involve the Counsel.”

     “What is the Grand Counsel?” Angeline asked. “But wait, you’ll probably just lie to me again, won’t you?”

     “I deserve that,” Connor said.

     Angeline laughed but without any humor behind it. “You deserve to rot in hell, Connor. For kidnapping me, for lying to me, and for making me into this thing that I now am.”

     Connor reached for her then with a pained expression but she flung his arms away. She started toward the entrance again but this time found her way blocked by someone else. Someone she had never seen before, and by the expression on his face, no one she would have cared to meet.

     Seconds later, Connor was in front of her pushing her behind him. Caspian had stepped closer as well.

     “This is an unexpected surprise, Searon,” Connor said.

     “Not so unexpected,” Searon said, leering at Angeline over Connor’s shoulder.

     Angeline had no idea who this stranger was, but given the current company it seemed a safe assumption that he was a vampire as well, and his intentions didn’t appear honorable.

     “It’s about time,” Caspian said. “Even I was starting to get bored listening to myself.”

     And that’s when Angeline knew that she had been betrayed yet again.

     Although he had Angeline tucked closely behind him, Connor knew the situation was bad. Very bad. With Searon standing in front of him, and Caspian off to the side looking like a satisfied tomcat, he realized that he had been played. And if he didn’t think of something fast, he and Angeline were in a world of trouble.

     He knew that Angeline was upset with him for not being honest with her, but how was he supposed to know that once he met her he was going to have feelings for her? How was he supposed to know that he would do anything, including put his own destiny in jeopardy, to make sure that she was safe? He could only hope that she would follow his lead now and that he could find a way out of this mess.  

     “I should have known that you finding us in the forest so quickly was a bit coincidental,” Connor said to Caspian. He wasn’t going to give Caspian the satisfaction of knowing how betrayed he felt at that moment.

     But he wasn’t ready to confront Searon yet. Although Monroe may have thought that he had paid attention to nothing during his training for the Master’s guard, he had grudgingly listened the whole time. That had a lot to do with the fact that as much as he despised what Monroe had done to him, he found that the more he learned about Monroe, the more he respected him. Monroe was very good at what he did, and one thing that he had engrained into the trainees was always to learn the depth of any alliances. And to look for weaknesses. Because there were always weaknesses.

     Caspian shrugged. “Not so coincidental. Even if Searon hadn’t told me about the Master’s special game, I patrol that edge of the woods frequently. It’s a common place for vampires to leave their ‘unmentionables.’ It just so happens that in this instance, Searon’s pursuit mirrored mine.” Caspian peered at Angeline. “This one is different than any wraith I’ve ever encountered. I would have liked to study her longer.”

     “You’re lucky I gave you the two days I did, old man,” Searon snarled. “I’m bored with this game. I want to be back in the coven, and that,” he pointed at Angeline, “is my ticket in.”

     “I am taking the princess to the Master,” Connor said. He calculated the odds in his head. If Angeline lent a hand, he could take both of them. He knew he could. It had been awhile since Monroe had tested him in hand-to-hand combat, but Monroe was the best.

     As if Searon had heard his thoughts, three more vampires entered the room and encircled them. Connor could feel Angeline tense behind him. For the first time, he hoped that she would be scared enough that the beast inside her would take control. An unleashed wraith could turn the tables quickly.

     Then Connor heard a crackle of pure energy, and as he turned he watched Angeline slump to the floor. He could see that she was still awake but her mind was empty; a very effective taming spell had been cast. Within seconds her hands and feet were bound by heavy metal clamps. He cursed himself for thinking he could find an advantage to leverage. Of course Caspian would have prepared them for her.

     “Your wraith won’t be any use to you right now,” Searon said. “If you are very lucky, and by lucky I mean you cooperate with me in every order I give you from this point forward, I will tell my father that we were working together and that we found her in this state. I will spare your sire the shame of knowing that this was your mess and you having to deal with my father’s wrath.”

     “Why would you do that?” Connor asked. As long as Searon saw a use for him and didn’t kill him that would give him time to think. He needed to find a way to get himself and Angeline out of there, but there wasn’t anywhere to run in this dark cave and he wasn’t sure if there were any more of Searon’s men outside.

     “Because then you would owe me a favor. And let’s be frank, shall we? Once I am accepted back into the coven, it won’t be too long before I have full control. I’ll need men that I can trust. Men who understand how things work in the world,” Searon said.

     “Why would you trust me?” Connor said.

     “I know you have no love lost for your sire or my father,” Searon said as he started to pace around the room, taking it all in. “I know what you want, Connor. And if you serve me faithfully, I will gladly give it to you. Once I am Master, I will have the confidence of the Grand Counsel. I will have access to all of the secrets since the beginning of time. All that I ask in exchange is faithful service. I need men like you to help me now, and that will not be forgotten.”

     Connor felt sick. He knew exactly what service under a man like Searon would mean. Death. Plague. Pestilence. The end of humankind. And Connor wanted to rejoin the human ranks, not extinguish them. But now wasn’t the time for debate. He knew that Searon was expecting an immediate answer.

     “The princess becoming a wraith, that was an accident,” he said stalling for time.

     “Of course it was,” Searon said. “I’m sure there was nothing to be done to avoid it. Unlike my father,
I
understand that mistakes happen.”

     “What do you mean to do with the princess?” Connor asked.

     “Finish the game and claim my prize, which will to rejoin the coven,” Searon said. “Of course, I will give you credit for assisting so that your sire is still able to add to his pride, for as short a time as that kind of thing is relevant.”

     “That Master will not be pleased that she has been turned into this creature,” Connor said.

     “The rules of the game did not specify that she could not be a wraith. They said only that she could not be a vampire or dead,” Searon said. “Besides, knowing my father, he’ll still figure out a way to turn it to his advantage.”

    
He has thought of this from every angle
, Connor thought.

     “Besides, why do you care?” Searon said with narrowed eyes.

     Caspian, who had been only observing the exchange so far, snorted. “Isn’t it obvious? He cares for her.”

    
Damn the man!

     “I care for her only to the extent that she was an ends to a means,” Connor lied smoothly. “It was critical to my methods that she trusted me. You just heard me admit that to her myself a few moments ago.” Connor needed to deflect the attention from his intentions. “What about you, Caspian? What do you gain from helping in this plot?”

     “There’s no love lost between me and the Master. He doesn’t approve of my methods or my work.” Caspian sniffed. “Searon is not the only one who has tired of being banished outside of the coven. I wish only to return to my rightful place and my honor. Searon will benefit from my counsel.”

    
So for now, there was no chance of turning the two against each other.